Pochampally Century-old building lies in neglect

Pochampally: The name Pochampally, when heard, brings the picture of weavers weaving the world-famous Ikat sarees to one’s mind. However, the village is also quite famous for the land movement that was taken up by social reformer Vinoba Bhave.

Bhave, who arrived in Pochampally in 1951, took up the Bhoodan Movement with the donation of 100 acres of land by the village landlord Vedere Ramachandra Reddy. Since then Pochampally is known as Bhoodan Pochampally.

The village, which has rich historical importance, is also famous for a heritage building which is quite unique in itself. The building with its 101 doors still stands as a mirror to the rich past once the village was part of.

According to few senior citizens of the village, in 1910, residents of the village Vanguri Pochampally Ramkishan Rao and his wife Radhamma, performed several pujas for children, but in vain.

The worried couple later approached a priest in Maharashtra for want of children. After blessing the couple, the priest directed them to construct a building with 101 doors, windows and ventilators.

Following the priest’s direction, Ramakrishna Rao constructed the building with 101 doors and 20 rooms. Apart from that, a stable and servant quarters were also constructed in 1919. After few years of shifting into the new building, the couple was blessed with four sons.

However, of the four sons, three sons except Venkata Ranga Rao, died of unknown reasons. Later, Venkata Ranga Rao was blessed with a son, Laxmi Narasimha Rao.

Laxmi Narasimha Rao, who had two sons Ramkishan Rao, Venkat Ranga Rao, shifted to Hyderabad after their father passed away in 1961. In the course of time, the building reached a deplorable state due to lack of maintenance and security.

Earlier, the regional office of the Red Cross Society and Shanthinikethan schools were functioned from the same building. Similarly, several English, Hindi and Telugu films were shot in the building.

Film Sushma, a story based on weavers’ issues directed by famous director Shyam Benegal, starring Om Puri and Shabana Azmi, was shot in the building.

Similarly, Jamindar, a documentary based on Jamindari system by Germany’s Nepoleon Film Institute and Comrade, a film helmed by film actor and son of the soil, Prabhakar Reddy were shot here.

According to villagers, engineering students frequently visit the building for their case studies.

Further, on repeated requests of villagers, two years ago the State government adopted the building and Basaveshwara temple for the development under rural tourism.

However, the locals allege that respective tourism department officials did nothing to the historical building since their adoption.

They urged the government to take initiation in carrying out repair works to the century-old building and conserve the rich heritage of the village.